Box



March 2 1926. 1,575,150 H.- DE HAVEN W Al 6 5/ Q a v 6 8 m a 1m I 1111;" 11 M i W I 3 r, 4 I

0 HUT/V555: f/uyb De Haven ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH DE HAVEN, or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

BOX.

Application filed August 22, 1923.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, I-IUGII DE I-IAVEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San F rancisco,

.vide a box having sufficient strength to withstand the usage to which it is subjected during handling and shipment.

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a more'or less elastic box structure, so that distortion of the box due to unusual strain will not render the box unfit for fur- T ther use.

Another-object of the invention is to provide a'box which may be readily tightened when the parts thereof become loose due to use or shrinkage.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description where I shall outline in full, that form of my invention which I haveselected for illustration, in the draw ings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. In said drawings I have shown one form of box embodying my invention, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form. since the invention, as set forth in the claims, may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Referring to said drawings;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lug box embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an end View of the box shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section of a detail oi the box, showing the fit of the sides and head of the box. t

Figure 4 is a sectional detail through the hanger, showing the bridge in engagement with the spring.

My-invention is particularly, although not exclusively, applicable to lug boxes which are subjected to rough handling and which Serial No. 658,768.

various parts of lug boxes are usually secured together with nails driven through the bottom and side pieces into the head. After extended use these nails become loosened and it attempts are made to repair the box by driving other nails through the side and bottom pieces into the head, thesenails also become loosened and the driving of the nails through the sides and bottom pieces weaken these pieces at the joint with the are required to contain heavy loads. The

head so that the boxes rapidly deteriorate.

In accordance with my invention I have pro vided a box in which nails are not employed for holding the side pieces and the bottom pieces to the head so that all of the difficulties encountered in nailed boxes are overcome. I provide a strap for holding "the sides and bottom to the head and provide means for maintaining this strap in tension so that the sides and bottom are always held tightly against the head. This structure provides a box which may. be

distorted to some extent as by the exertion of pressure against one corner of the box, without loosening the part of the box so that it may readily be restored to its proper shape. In a nailed box, distortion of the box will loosen the nails in the wood which will either require repair of the box or will render the box useless.

The box of my invention comprises the heads 2, the sides 3 and the bottom 4:. I The heads are provided along their sides and bottom edges with abevelled or inclined edge 5 and the ends of the side and bottom pieces 3 and 4: are complementarily formed as shown at 6 so that when the side and bottom pieces are pressed against the head the assembled parts are held against relative movement.

The sides 3 and bottom 4 are held in assembled relation with the head 2 by means of metallic straps 7 which overlie the sides and bottom in the plane of the head. The strap usually extends over the sides and bottom of the box at the end and the ends of the strap are preferably secured by nails 8 extending through the cleat 9 and through the strap into the head 2. The ends of the straps are thus covered by the cleat and are held firmly in position by the nails and by the cleat. Other nails are usually employed to secure the cleat to the head.

Means are employed for maintaining the strap 7 in tension so that it always exerts a suflicient force to hold the bottom and sides in position. In the present construction I provide the head 2 with a recess 12 at the center of its bottomedge and draw the strap up into this recess so that the strap is placed in tension. Under that portion of the strap which lies in the recess I arrange a short leaf belowthe spring 13. The hanger 14 has two legs lying on opposite sides of the spring and, at the lower ends of these legs there are provided slots in which there is disposed a removable metallic bridge 17 which bears against the spring and holds it in tension. The strap v7 is thus maintained in tension and the sides and bottom are firmly and tightly held against the head.

' Should the strap 7 become loosened, due to usage or shrinkage of the box,-the spring may be further tightened-to again place the straps in tension. The key 17 is formed with shoulders 18 which bear against the ends of the slots in the hanger and with faces 19 and 21, either of which may contact with the spring. The distance between the shoulders and the cooperating faces 19 and 21 is different so that by reversing the key from the position shown in Figure 4: the spring may be held in a higher position thus increasing the tension in the spring. The spring, being formed of a plurality of leavesof gradually increasing length, will take up slack that is produced in the strap so that the strap will remain tight on the box thus holding the parts of the box together firmly and securely.

I claim:

'1. A box comprising a head, bottom and sides, a. strap holding the bottom and'sides to the head and separate resilient means for holding said strap in tension.

2. A box comprising a head, bottom and sides, a substantially inelastic strap holding the bottom and sides to the head and separate resilient means holding said strap in tension.

3. A box comprising "a head, bottom and sides, a strap holding the bottom and sides to the head, a spring engaging the strap and means for'holding the spring flexed to maintain the strap in. tension.

i. A box comprising a head, bottom and sides, a strap holding the bottom and sides to the head, a spring engaging the strap and means engaging the head for holding the spring flexed.

A box comprising a head, bottom and sides, a strap secured to the head and overlying the bottom and sides in the plane of the head, a leaf spring engaging said strap and means engaging the head and the spring for holding the spring in tension.

6. A box comprising a head, bottom and sides, said head being provided with a recess on one edge, a strap holding the bottom and sidesto the head and extending across said recess, a spring engaging the strap in the recess and means holding the spring flexed whereby thestrap is held in tension.

7. A box comprising a head, bottom and sides, caid head being provided with a recess onone edge, a strap holding the bottom and sides to the head and extending across said recess, a spring engaging the strap in the recess and a hanger engaging the head and holding the spring flexed.

8. A box comprising a head, bottom and sides, said head being provided with a hand hole and with a recess on one edge, a

, strap holding the bottom and sides to the head and extending across the recess, a leaf spring bearing againstthe strap in the recess and a hanger extending through the hand hole and holding said spring flexed, whereby the strap is maintained in tension.

9. A box comprising a head, bottomand sides, said head being provided with a hand hole and with a recess on one edge, a strap holding the bottom and sides to the head and extending across the recess, :a leaf spring bearing against the strap in the recess, a hanger extending through the hand hole and extending below said spring and a bridge mounted in the hanger and engaging said spring to hold it flexed.

10. A box comprising a head, bottom and sides, said'head'being provided with a'hand hole and with a recess on one edge, a strap holding the bottom and sides to the head and extending across the recess, a leaf spring bearing against the strap in the recess, a hanger extending through'the hand hole and extending below said spring and a reversible bridge mounted in the hanger andengaging said spring to hold it flexed, reversal of the bridge serving to vary. the flexure of the spring.

11. A box comprising a head having beveled edges, bottom and side pieces having complementary shaped surfaces to engage said edges, a strap 'holding'the bottom and side pieces to the head and resilient means for holding said strap in tension.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

HUGH DE :HAVEN. 

